Sutera plant named ‘Danova912’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Sutera  plant named ‘Danova912’, characterized by its outwardly spreading and low mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and continuous flowering habit; large light pink-colored flowers with darker pink-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Sutera hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DANOVA912’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Suteraplant, botanically known as Sutera hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name ‘Danova912’.

The new Sutera is a product of a planned breeding program conducted inMoshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. The objective of the breeding program isto develop new uniform Sutera cultivars with large and numerous flowers.

The new Sutera originated from an open-pollination in August, 2002 of aproprietary selection of Sutera hybrida identified as code numberBA-2-21, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with anunidentified selection of Sutera hybrida, as the male, or pollen,parent. The cultivar Danova912 was discovered and selected by theInventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from the aforementionedopen-pollination in a controlled environment in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva,Israel in March, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in MoshavMishmar Hashiva, Israel since March, 2003, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Sutera are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Danova912 have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Danova912’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Danova912’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofSutera:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading and low mounding plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Early and continuous flowering habit.    -   5. Large light pink-colored flowers with darker pink-colored        centers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the newSutera flower earlier and have larger flowers. In addition, plants ofthe new Sutera and the female parent selection differ in flower color asplants of the female parent selection have lavender-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Sutera can be compared to plants of the Sutera hispidacultivar Dancoplace, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,458. Inside-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Sutera differed from plantsof the cultivar Dancoplace in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Sutera flowered earlier than plants of the        cultivar Dancoplace.    -   2. Plants of the new Sutera had larger flowers than plants of        the cultivar Dancoplace.    -   3. Plants of the new Sutera and the cultivar Dancoplace differed        in flower color as plants of the cultivar Dancoplace had        white-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which more accurately describe the colorsof the new Sutera.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Danova912’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up view oftypical flowers and leaves of ‘Danova912’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif., in an outdoornursery during the winter with day temperatures ranging from 18° C. to35° C. and night temperatures ranging from 10° C. to 18° C. Plants weregrown in 15-cm containers and were about three months old. Colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Sutera hybrida cultivar Danova912.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Sutera            hybrida identified as code number BA-2-21, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—An unidentified selection of Sutera            hybrida, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at 24° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About ten days at 18° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 15 days            at 24° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 18 days            at 18° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Outwardly spreading and low mounding plant habit.            Freely and continuously branching with about six primary            lateral branches each with about four to six secondary            lateral branches. Vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 10 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 45 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 25 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Internode length: About 2.4 cm. Texture: Pubescent; minute.            Strength: Strong. Color: 146B.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite; simple. Length:            About 1.1 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm. Shape: Broadly elliptic            to nearly oval. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Acute. Margin:            Shallow serrations. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Sparsely pubescent. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate.            Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: 146A. Developing            foliage, lower surface: 146B. Fully expanded foliage, upper            surface: 147A; venation, 147A. Fully expanded foliage, lower            surface: 147B; venation, 147B. Petiole length: About 4 mm.            Petiole diameter: About 2 mm. Petiole texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent. Petiole color, upper and            lower surfaces: 147B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Solitary axillary flowers;            salverform; slender corolla tubes flare abruptly into five            rounded lobes. Flowers persistent. Very freely flowering;            typically about 52 flower buds and open flowers per lateral            branch. Flowers face mostly upward or outward. Flowers            persistent.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants typically flower from            spring until fall; flowering continuous during this period.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About five to six days.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flower diameter.—About 1.6 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 8 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Shape: Obovate. Color: Fainter than 65D.        -   Corolla.—Quantity/arrangement: Five fused petals; slender            corolla tube flaring abruptly into five rounded lobes. Petal            lobe length from throat: About 6 mm. Petal lobe width: About            6 mm. Petal lobe shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal lobe apex:            Rounded. Petal lobe margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 155D. Fully opened, upper surface:            Close to 56D; towards the base, 75B; color becoming closer            to 155D with development. Fully opened, lower surface: 56D.            Flower throat (inside): 21A. Flower tube (outside): 15D.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals            fused at base; star-shaped calyx. Length: About 5 mm. Width:            Less than 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent,            minute. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 146B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm. Width: Less than 1 mm. Angle:            About 45° from the stem. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Pubescent; minute. Color: 146C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Four.            Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color:            14A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 14A. Pistils:            Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Style            length: About 8 mm. Style color: 145B. Stigma shape: Round.            Stigma color: 146A. Ovary color: 145A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Sutera have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Sutera.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Sutera have been observed to    have good garden performance. Plants of the new Sutera tolerate    temperatures from about 2° C. to 38° C. and to tolerate wind and    rain.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Sutera plant named ‘Danova912’, asillustrated and described.